New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1887-07-10
A ROYAL ROODLER.

Ii q Ccrtaiu aHudViU maze Dy MT Ong hee
Of Honolulu, is Trustworthy His Majesty King
Kalalkaua stands confessed as perhaps the most
accomplished aIl-round "booder' the age can
boast Of The tale unfolded by Tong Kee does
not indeed present o very high estimate of his
own integrity, but then it must be remembered
that he belongs to a race which "for ways that
are dark and tricks that are vain is peculiar
though II he speaks sooth the King was more
than a match for his Monaghan cunning The
story is connected with the new opium license
law. According to Tong Kee, soon after the
enactment of that law o member Of the royal
household. the Hon. Junius KATE. called upon
him, intimated that the King could bcstow
monopoly of the opium trade where he pleased
and suggested that gift Of 100000 to Kalakaua
would clinch the business Tong Kee appreciated
the advantages Of the license. and overestimated
both the power and the honesty Of the King.
lie closed with Kaie's offer, and in due time
drove up to the palace with q first instalment
OF 800 900 In gold, and freshly roasted pig. the
King being very fond of pork. The following
letter was then handed by Mr. Kee to the King.
1t is worth preserving:
"Oh Lord Of Heaven: Hero is a small offering
small pig for breakfast, and II would DO good thing
II my Royal Master would DO pleased ~ accept this.
And here Is something small which will be laid before
you. few ten cent pieces $50 600 as your servant
has remembered and sent IT, 90 may you DO gracious
and kind mo- and TO those things that your ser
spoke your Majesty bis master about they VIII
be faithfully carried out because am forever your
servant and may the bones OF your servant DO con-
stanuy revived BY his High and Royal Master"
The lord of Heaven was gractously pleased
to accept the money with a laugh, and poured
IL into quilt which he placed In trunk. Then
Tong Kee went away. mortgaged his plantation
raised another $50. 900, and causing second
pig to be roasted, conveyed money and meat to
the royal boodler The latter passed che pig
over to his chamberlain and put the cash In
drawer In the innocence Of bis heart Tong
Kee asked for a receipt, but the King observed
that under the circumstances that wouldn't do
at all He however, gave Kee verbal promise to
arrange the license for him. few days after
the Hon Junius Kaie appeared before Kee look
ing very black. and stated that the King had
been offered $4,000 by another party for the
license and that unless Kee was prepared to see
that amount his prospects were as good as
hhghted Kee with great difficulty raised 81 5000
more and put IL where he credulously thought
IL would do the most good But a few days
later the King sent for kee, and with an APP
pearance OF deep told him that the
Cabinet refused to be controlled and had given
the license to Chun Sung
Naturally long nee thereupon uemahueu HIS
money back but Kalakaua could not think OF
restoring coin which had been employed in a
wicked attempt tn tribe him; and besides. he
remarked. he no niger had the gold. which
had gone TO pay pressing debts. lie calmly
informed the now desparing Tong Kee that 1t
was not possil e to try to recover the sum
through the courts, for the reason that the case
involved the subornation OF the chief executive |
and finally the too confdng Chinaman was COM
-elIcd t6 20 home a ruined man. and apparently |
with out the slightest prospect Of redress 1t Is
aid that this curious incident was the cause OF |
ko appearance OF a placard in Chinese Offering |
liberal reward for the head Of King Kalakaua.
This IL credible for advertising for assassina- |
ion happens to be by no means uncommon |
practice among the Chinese, and they have often |
lone IL In San Francisco and other places where |
hey have colonies.
II the foregoing narrative is true, however,
I shows that King Kalahaua would have nothing
q learn from the New-Yorlt "boodlers' OF the
ldermanic Board. bnt that few more accom-
,lished and thoroughgoing swtndlers could be
ound in the most conspicuous rank OF Western
crooks 1t may be doubted whether Kalakaua's
,rogenitors In the time Of Captain Cook were
DUAL TO such a stroke of high finance So
much has civilization done for Hawaii.